What’s your stage name and where are you from?
My stage name is Ju$t Tha Realne$$
What’s the story behind your stage name?
Speaking truth in a world full of lies.
Describe your musical journey in three sentences.
I made a lot of sacrifices to get to this point. I’m still not where I want to be; it’s been fun, yet challenging. It’s hard to get a lot of people to like your music, but that’s been my journey as an artist: trying to get the most listeners I can.
Share an interesting experience you had while creating your latest track.
My latest track is called “Joke’s N Hip-Hop (Is All I Know).” The most interesting thing is that as a child, I always wanted to work with a West Coast artist, and now I live on the West Coast, working with West Coast artists. I never thought of myself as a go-getter, but it just started manifesting itself, creating its own gravity. There’s a side of me that’s trying to come out, and slowly, I’m becoming someone different—someone who’s more of a hustler. It’s starting to show in my lyrics how much better I’m getting, and you can see the growth in my artistry, especially on this track.
What message do you want to convey through your music?
I want people to know that you can’t turn a blind eye to problems in the world. You have to confront them. Things won’t change just by waiting for someone else to do it. If you see something wrong, you have to contribute to the change yourself, no matter the cost or the circumstance.
Tell us about a challenge you faced during production and how you overcame it.
The reason I started rapping was to get close to my older brother, Onesun. He’s been making music for a long time, and still is. But when he decided to stop helping, recording me, and hanging with me, I had to figure out how to be my own man. I had to find my own voice in music and figure out how to separate myself from someone I idolized my whole life. I couldn’t just be Onesun’s kid brother anymore.
If you could collaborate with any artist, who would it be and why?
There are so many artists I’d love to collaborate with, many of them have passed away. But if I had to pick one that’s still active right now, it would be LL Cool J. He introduced me to Hip Hop.
Where do you see your music taking you in the next year?
Hopefully, to Madison Square Garden. I want to be rich, but I think performing at Madison Square Garden is a bigger dream for me than being rich. I know it sounds cliché, but at the end of the day, you don’t take your bank account with you when you die. You can, however, take the effect you have on people. To see my city showing me love, and me giving that love back, is worth more than money to me.
What’s the next big step for you as an artist?
To be famous.
Where can we hear/watch your most recent work?
You can listen to my music on all music platforms. I also have a comedy special out called “Joke’s N Hip-Hop,” which I put together and released on my YouTube channel.
What is the best way to contact you if fans want to give feedback or if other artists/producers want to collaborate?
You can contact me through Instagram or via email at jtrqueenskid718@gmail.com.